Ischemic-time associated reductions in equol monosulfate plasma levels in a mouse model of ischemic stroke: support the existence of a 'brain-gut axis'.

BACKGROUND

Interest is growing in the role played by intestinal flora in the pathogeneses of diseases and in the possibility of treating disease by altering intestinal flora compositions. Recent studies have focused on the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and brain function as proposed by the brain-gut axis hypothesis.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relation between ischemic stroke and plasma equol monosulfate levels (a soy isoflavone metabolite) in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model.

METHODS

Mice (C57BL/6) were subjected to MCAO for various times (30 min to 24 h), and degrees of cerebral damage were assessed using total infarction volumes, brain edema severities and neurological deficit scores. Hematoxylin and eosin and cresyl violet staining were used to observe morphological changes in ischemic brains. Levels of equol monosulfate in plasma and the relationships between these and degree of brain injury were investigated.

RESULTS

Infarction volumes, brain edema severity and neurological deficit scores were significantly correlated with ischemic time, and morphological deteriorations of brain neuronal cells also increased with ischemic duration. Equol monosulfate contents were ischemic-time dependently lower in MCAO treated animals than in sham-operated controls.

CONCLUSION

Ischemic stroke may time-dependently reduce plasma levels of equol monosulfate by lowering the metabolic rate of equol in MCAO-induced mice. This study provides indirect support of the brain-gut axis hypothesis.